The Beauty Of Wildlife Photography

I have always had a love for photography. Growing up, I took classes and played with old film cameras. It wasn't until my mid-twenties that I was able to truly pursue photography, and what started as a childhood hobby went on to be my greatest passion. I've been lucky enough to photograph many subjects. I've shot portraits, landscapes, vehicles, and architecture, but nothing compares to the beauty that is photographing wildlife. It an almost magical feeling that fills me with more joy than I can possibly describe. I've always had a love for nature, but photography has given me so much more of a desire to work with it and capture the beauty of the animals we so often take for granted.

Having grown up in central Illinois, I have always been exposed to the concept of hunting. It had always been a popular pass time for people I knew throughout school, though it never appealed to me. Something about taking the life of an animal myself most certainly did not sit well with me. It wasn't until I got behind a camera that I actually knew the joy of going into the woods and finding an animal. The biggest difference being that my shots are a lot more friendly than the alternative.

My many adventures in the name of photography have taught me many things. One such thing is that it isn't quite so easy to lump the way animals photograph into one simple description. Everything photographs differently. While some birds show up looking as photogenic as can be, others (such as red-wing blackbirds) need specific lighting in order to truly make them stand out. The same general concept applies to photographing different types of animals. You may have to trek through the woods for hours on end to find a beautiful deer or follow a butterfly around for several minutes before it decides to gracefully land. What matters most is that you have patience. Good things come to those who wait, and nowhere does this hold true like wildlife photography. You may be able to work around certain aspects to get the perfect image of something static or tell a model to pose a certain way for portraits, but you will never be able to tell nature what to do. Waiting is going to be the name of the game for a lot of your best wildlife photos. Waiting for the right time of day, the right lighting, the animal you're photographing to do the right pose. In the end, it will have all been worthwhile. Patience also extends into the editing process, as sometimes it takes quite a bit of time to get your photos tweaked just the way you like them.

Your equipment, as always, is going to be your best friend when it comes to wildlife photography. I would argue that no piece of your kit is more important in this instance than your choice of lens. Many animals are often quite skittish. This makes getting up close and personal a very difficult task. While it can most certainly be done, you'll save yourself a lot of headache by using a quality lens with a decent zoom. I much prefer Cannon lenses myself, and as such I use my trusty Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Telephoto Zoom Lens for nearly all of my wildlife shots. This lens produces quality photos, on top of being a affordable at roughly two-hundred dollars. It is a great lens for beginners and experts alike, and it is one of my favorite lenses overall. With a 300mm zoom, you can easily capture animals a decent distance away without scaring them off. Aside from this lens, my kit for nature photography is rather small. I've found that I don't need much aside from a spare lens and the camera itself, especially when most of what I shoot is out during the day.

Photography is a wonderful artform, able to capture the beauty of the world as a whole. No two pictures are the same, making every difference in lighting and angle it's own unique work of art. with a good camera, a good lens, and a little patience, you can share your artwork and passion with the world.